Emotions- AtemxOC
by 3-102 DELTA
Summary: Atem and Jay were childhood friends who did everything together, and shared every moment. If one was there, so was the other. But free-spirited Jay eventually outgrew sensitive little Atem for an interest in the rich boy Seto Kaiba. Atem knows something's off about Seto, but he doesn't know what. Atem soon knows why, and must talk Jay out of her crush on Seto before it's too late!
1. Chapter 1- For Better or For Worse?

Jay walked down the sidewalk slowly, not in a hurry to go anywhere. She stared straight ahead at the golden sun sinking into the horizon and shivered in her fuchsia sweater as the last bit of summer heat vanished in the October breeze. She stuffed her hands in the pockets of her jean shorts, her black leggings clearly not being enough warmth for her legs. Despite this, she kept her caramel brown hair tucked safely behind her ears. She looked around, when her blue grey eyes caught sight of Seto Kaiba, walking alone a few feet ahead of her. "Seto!" She cried, and ran up to him. He turned to her and grunted, the sun reflecting off his milky white skin and brown hair. "What the hell do you want?!" He growled. She walked with him, despite the obvious signs he did not want her company. "So…" She began, "What do you like in a girl?" Seto grunted again. "If we're referring to _you,_" He said, seeing right through her plan to hear about what kind of person he liked so she could become the girl he wanted to see. "Then lose some weight, wear nicer clothing, wash your hair more often, wear your hair in nicer styles, possibly dye your hair, don't tan as much, wear colored contacts (green, preferably), and fix your lifestyle." He finished firmly, and without hesitation. And with that, Seto walked away from her, leaving her standing there in shock as she tried to imagine herself as a completely different person. For starters, her hair was clean, and she left it down to keep the cold from getting to her neck, she was a healthy weight, her eyes were naturally blue grey, and she couldn't help that she was tan. She couldn't possibly imagine herself being any different. "I-I think I'll be able to manage…" She murmured. She stared after him, knowing she had to go that way to get home, but not wanting to make him think she was stalking him. Then she had an idea. The Domino City Mall was in the opposite direction! She could just delay her home arrival for a little longer, right? She didn't have parents anyways, so there wouldn't be much of a difference. She could also buy a few things so she could start up on changing herself. With those thoughts in mind, and without a second thought, Jay took off towards the mall.

The minute she walked into the mall, Jay thought about all the things she needed to buy. Blonde hair dye, Green colored contacts, a diet plan, an umbrella to keep the sun from getting to her, and a few other things to change her overall lifestyle. She was so deep in thought that she wasn't paying attention to what was in front of her, and ended up bumping into Atem, an old childhood friend she'd known since the age of six, when she first moved to Japan. "I'm sorry!" She bowed apologetically, but he merely patted her head. "That's alright. You were just deep in thought, that's all." He chuckled a bit. Jay stared at him for a moment. "Say, what are you doing here, anyway? You're not one to come to the mall a lot, Atem." She remarked. He held up a bag from Game Stop. "I just came here to pick up a copy of this game, that's all." He said. "I've been out for almost 3 hours trying to get it." He shrugged, smiling sheepishly. "How about you? What are you doing here?" He asked. Jay scratched the back of her neck, then told him about the encounter she just had with Seto, and what she was here to get. "H-Huh?! You want to change yourself?!" He looked shocked. "Yeah, why? I believe it will be a change for the better, I need a new look, don't you think?" She looked at him, and noticed his violet eyes were filled with worry. The young man sighed and bit his lip. "Y-You don't think so, do you?!" Jay was starting to get irritated at Atem's point of view on things. He didn't like change, he preferred things to stay the same. "N-No, I like you just the way you are…" He murmured in a voice barely over a whisper. Jay grunted. "Well Seto doesn't." She folded her arms "Have a good evening." She finished, and walked away.

Jay sighed as she walked into a hair product store. She looked around at all the dye colors, trying to decide whether or not she should go with blonde or black. She chose blonde, and went on her way to buy some other hair products. She bought a few styling tools and then she was off to the next store. She thought about what she had said to Atem, and felt kind of bad. He was a bit sensitive, and she knew that. But what did she do? She messed around with his emotions anyways. Jay sighed, she felt terrible. She looked over at the place where Atem once stood several yards away. He was nowhere to be found. She felt an unusual weight on her shoulders, and this same feeling of guilt stuck with her as she finished her shopping and headed home. Once home, Jay put away her groceries and headed off to bed. Tomorrow was Sunday, she had all the time in the world to show off to Seto and apologize to Atem.

On Sunday morning, Jay woke up at her usual time, 7:00 A.M. However, since it was Sunday, she said in bed for an extra fifteen minutes, allowing her to wake up a bit before getting out of bed. Once out of bed she realized how much work she needed to do. She was about to get dressed when her phone vibrated and started to play the 8-bit version of Koi Mikuru Densetsu. She was confused at first, but then she picked up her phone and read the words, **Text Atem**. She remembered she had to text Atem and ask him to meet her somewhere so she could apologize. She opened her phone and texted Atem, **Meet me near the park in an hour, K?** After sending the text, she got dressed and slipped her phone into her pocket and checked the time on the wall clock, 7:20. She was running out of time. Jay ran downstairs and grabbed the hair dye she bought, then ran out the door. She made it back to the mall and traded the dye in for some hair chalk. After what Atem had said last night, she wasn't going to trust herself with something permanent. She ran out of the mall and took a taxi back to her house. When she got out of the car, she checked the time on her phone. "Jeez, 7:35 already?! I need to get going!" She muttered. Jay then noticed a message from Atem. **Well, good morning to you too. 8:15 is fine. I'll be there. **Jay sighed and went inside. She took her shoes off and went to the washroom. She then took out the hair chalk and colored the tips of her hair blonde. After coloring her hair, she applied hairspray and curled her hair inwards. "I think I need a haircut, but I like my hair long…." She murmured. After curling her hair, she sat down and ate breakfast. While eating, Jay took a good look around. Her home was simple, but that was the way she liked it. She finished eating and threw on a jacket, the put on her shoes and headed out again. She checked the time again, it was 8:00. If she walked to the park from here, it would take her fifteen minutes exactly, but it was cold, so she thought about taking a taxi. After several seconds of thinking, she finally decided to walk. As she walked, Jay thought about Atem. Sensitive little Atem. He'd been like that ever since they were little. In the eleven years since they met, they've been through so much. Jay remembered when he kissed her cheek in second grade, and when she'd talked Atem out of self-harming when he was fourteen. It was hard, but she'd prevented him from doing it. Jay caught sight of the four foot tall brick wall with the sign that said, "Domino City Park". She turned in and sat on a bench, staring at the tall metal gates that led to the playground. She looked up at the cloudy sky. "It looks like it's going to rain…I hope Atem gets here soon…" She said softly to herself. It was 8:20 already, and he still didn't show.

Jay paced for several more minutes, then checked the time again. 8:45. Worried sick, Jay grabbed her phone and dialed Atem's number. It rang a few times, then she heard a voice from behind her. "Hello~" Jay whirled around to see Atem standing there, holding his phone up to his ear. He smiled, and Jay closed her phone and put it in her pocket. Atem did the same, and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Sorry I'm late." He said softly. "I thought you'd never show up…" She murmured. Atem sighed and stroked her hair. "No, really, I'm sorry for making you wait so long." He tilted her chin up to face him. "Remember, Jay, I will _always_ be here for you. No matter what." He finished in a whisper, then rubbed his nose against hers. "You have such a cute nose…" He smiled. Jay giggled, completely oblivious to the fact that rubbing their noses together was Atem's way of kissing her. She pushed him back to the friendzone if he tried anything else. "So what did you call me out here for?" He asked, holding her head against his chest. Jay blushed and took a deep breath. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry." She said quickly. She couldn't do apologies very well. "I shouldn't have yelled at you like that last night…" Her voice trailed off. "Jay, it's _fine._ I'm not upset at you in any way." He said, looking into her eyes. "R-Really?" She murmured. Atem smiled and nodded. "Hey…your hair looks really nice today…" He said. "E-Eh? You noticed?" Atem chuckled lightly and nodded. "Of course I did, I notice all of your changes." Atem smiled again. "I can walk you home, if you want." He said softly. Jay nodded. "Yes, please…" She whispered, but then saw the blush on his face and quickly added, "…A-As _friends._ I like S-Seto, remember?" Atem quickly pulled away from her and muttered something under his breath about Kaiba. "Excuse me, what was that!?" She growled. "It was nothing." He snapped in return, then grabbed her hand and left the park.

Soon after they started walking, a low growl of thunder was heard and rain was soon to follow. The two started laughing for no reason as they put their hoods up. "You mind being a little wet?" Atem asked. The brunette smiled. "I love rain" She giggled. This was…strange. Obviously, Atem couldn't help how he felt about her, but seeing her overjoyed about something as simple as rain made him smile. And for a brief moment, he saw her smile back and move forward towards him, as if about to hug him or something. But that moment ended when that rich pretty boy Kaiba walked by, obsessing over his hair. Jay's attention immediately turned to him as she tried to cover him from the rain. "Seto, you need a hood or something, you're getting your hair wet!" She said. Atem stood there, heartbroken, as he finally realized what he was to the little brunette. A close friend. Nothing more, nothing less. And, with those thoughts clouding his mind, he left Jay and Seto and headed home, feeling nothing but his emotions going insane with sadness, anger, and some envy.


	2. Chapter 2- Feelings Within Flowers

_I hoped you liked chapter 1, 'cause there's more! If there's a phrase you don't understand, it will probably be at the bottom of this chapter. If it's not, feel free to PM me!_

_~DELTA_

Atem walked home and was about to step inside when he got another idea. He turned around and went back in the direction he came, passing the park and noticing Jay sitting there, cold and alone in the rain. He would have gone over there to comfort her, but he was pissed. Too pissed for words. She saw Seto, and immediately left him for that pretty boy. Even if some beautiful girl walked by when he was talking to Jay, the only thing she would get is a protective glance (Something he did often when he was around Jay. He did it to make sure no one was coming for her. It was stupid, but he did it anyways.). Atem kept walking, ignoring her, until he remembered what he'd said before. "And remember, Jay, I will _always_ be here for you." He meant what he said, even if she was never there for him. He backed up and turned into the park, his hood down by now and his hair getting wet. Although it was wet, his hair didn't mat itself down or anything, which confused him a bit. He lifted Jay into his arms and held her tightly. It was raining harder now, and the water was freezing cold. "Come on," He whispered. "You're going to get yourself sick." And with that, Atem walked fifteen minutes more to take her home. He walked right in and set her down. "Go get changed. You must be uncomfortable in those wet clothes." He spoke softly to hide his anger. Jay nodded and ran up to the second floor, then came back town several minutes later wearing a purple sweater and jeans. Her hair was also back to its normal caramel shade.

Once downstairs, Jay looked at Atem for a few solid seconds, just now noticing the anger and sadness in his eyes. Knowing it was her fault, she broke eye contact and sat on the couch, feeling the knot in her throat that told her she was going to cry any moment now. She swallowed, trying not to cry as she started shaking from the effort. It took all of Atem's will to sit next to her and pull her into another warm embrace, rocking her slowly. That was when she lost it. She grabbed his shirt and started bawling. "Gomen'nasai! Gomen'nasai! Gomen'nasai!" She cried, her voice muffled by his shoulder. He held her tightly and whispered into her hair, "Watashi wa anata o yurusu…" He held her face up to meet his and wiped her tears away, then rubbed their noses together. He pressed his forehead against hers and whispered, "I will always be with you." Jay sniffed and nodded, his soft tone calming her down. "There's still several hours left before evening, but you might want to call it a day." He continued, standing up and laying her down. Just as he was about to walk away and put his shoes on, Jay grabbed his hand. He turned around and looked at her, blushing lightly. "…Hm?" Jay looked at him for a while before speaking. "Please don't go…" She murmured. Atem frowned. "Why? I thought you liked Kaiba." Jay pulled away swiftly and crossed her arms, looking away. "I do!" Atem sighed and took out his phone. He dialed Seto's number and held the phone up to his ear. "Hey Kaiba, can I ask you a favor?" He asked. He heard a soft whine, and in response he immediately looked over at Jay, who had tears in her eyes. "Baka! What are you doing?!" she said, biting her lip to keep the tears from falling. Atem frowned. "I thought you'd prefer it if Kaiba stayed with you." The tears in Jay's eyes finally fell down her cheeks. "No! I asked for _you_ to stay with me, didn't I?!" She cried. Atem sighed. "I'll call you back, Kaiba." He muttered and put his phone away. He then sat on his knees next to her, murmuring into her hair, "You are so hard to please…" the two sat there for the longest time, holding each other tightly, and occasionally changing positions. Eventually, Jay fell asleep, and Atem laid her down and put a blanket over her. "Ojamashimashita, Jay…" He whispered. He then passed through the dining room and into the genkan, where he put on his shoes and his jacket, and left the house, locking the door behind him.

Atem walked down the stairs, admiring the Bluebell Flowers, Hibiscuses, Pink Roses, and the Forget-Me-Nots in the small garden she had in front of her house. He suddenly stopped, noticing there were Red Roses as well. He knew for a fact that the meaning of a Red Rose was love, or in love. He checked each and every kind of flower in her garden and its meaning.

Bluebell- Grateful

Forget-Me-Not- True love

Hibiscus- Gentle

Red Rose- Love/in love

Pink Rose- Trust/Happiness/Confidence

Atem sighed, just knowing those were her feelings for _Kaiba_. Something was not right about that man. Atem exited through the gate and stopped again, realizing that something _was_ seriously off with Seto Kaiba! He just couldn't put his finger on it…Atem shrugged it off, thinking it was just his jealousy speaking for him. He tried to push the thought away, but to no avail. The thought just seemed so…real. He shook his head, shaming himself for thinking so immaturely. There's no way Kaiba could be some kind of super villain. _It's just my fantasies getting the better of me again…_He thought. Little did he know, he was very, very wrong.

On the way back home, Atem bought some Yellow Roses, a sign of envy. His mother had always taught him to express his emotions calmly, even if they were negative. He found that the flowers' meanings were the only way he could accomplish this. After walking for about fifteen minutes, he finally returned home. When he opened the door, he was greeted by his Shikoku, Yuzuki, who had come downstairs into the gekan to watch him take off his shoes and jacket like she always did. "Konnichiwa, Yuzuki-San. I'm sorry I'm home later than intended." Atem said softly, petting the dog's head. After taking off his shoes, Atem headed up the steps and put on his slippers before going up a few more steps to the main floor. He set the Yellow Roses on the window sill in the kitchen next to the little Lotus Flower (Far from the one he loves), the Orange Lilies (Hatred/Revenge), and the White Roses (Silence/Innocence/Devotion). He was about to leave the kitchen and go to the living room when he suddenly heard Yuzuki's little paws clicking on the floor. "Oh, I should probably feed you, shouldn't I?" Atem chuckled lightly. He fed Yuzuki and gave the little puppy some water, then continued to the living room. He sat under the Kotatsu and started flipping through the channels on TV. Soon, Yuzuki came to join him, and the two watched reruns of Densha Otoko together. Atem heard the doorbell ring, and he stood up. "I'll get that, Yuzuki. Tell me what happens while I'm gone, okay?" He smiled down at his new puppy, then slid open the door and stepped out of the room, then slid the door closed. He went up to the speakerphone and spoke in his usual soft, but firm tone. "Tsukino residence." A familiar voice came through. "What's up, Atem? It's me, Jou." Atem smiled and went down stairs to welcome his guest.

"Konbanwa, ojamashimasu." Said Jounouchi as he stepped inside and took off his shoes. "Irasshai." Mumbled Atem. Jounouchi followed Atem back upstairs and into the living room. The two slipped under the Kotatsu and continued watching the Japanese drama that was currently playing on the TV. "I was just watching this at home. I'm glad I'm not the only one who still watches this show." Jounouchi smiled, earning him a smile in return from Atem. Yuzuki pranced up to the two and made herself comfortable in between them. "Yuzuki's getting bigger…" Muttered Jounouchi. Atem nodded. "She is."

Jounouchi stayed for about an hour and a half, talking and visiting with Atem. Eventually, he had to leave because he needed to get to bed. Before leaving, Jounouchi asked Atem one last question. "Why did you choose to name your dog Yuzuki?" Atem smiled in response. "The surname Tsukina means, 'moon field', and the name Yuzuki means, 'little moon'." He said simply. "Oh," Jounouchi muttered, not knowing what else to say. "That is all, oyasumi nasai." He said, and left the house.

_**Japanese Translations (In the order of which they appear)**_

_**Gomen'nasai- **__I'm sorry_

_**Watashi wa anata o yurusu- **__I forgive you_

_**Baka- **__Idiot/Stupid_

_**Ojamashimashita- **__A phrase you say to your host when leaving their house_

_**Genkan- **__The area immediately after the door where you take off your shoes_

_**Shikoku- **__A Japanese dog breed_

_**Konnichiwa- **__Basically saying, "Good afternoon" You should use this greeting during the day_

_**Kotatsu- **__A layer of blankets under a low-set table with a heater attached to it. People in Japan sometimes use this for warmth in the winter. (_It sounds really comfy, to me_.)_

_**Konbanwa- **__Basically saying, "Good evening" You should use this greeting in the evening hours_

_**Ojamashimasu- **__This is an acknowledgment of you being any trouble to your host_

_**Irasshai- **__An informal way to say, "Welcome" This should not be used if your guest is superior to you._

_**Oyasumi nasai- **__The phrase you use in the evening to say goodbye_


	3. Chapter 3- An Urgent Awakening

_Heya! Thanks so much for the support you guys! (Especially you, Amu-Senpai!) Once again, if there is a phrase you don't understand, it should be at the bottom. If it's not, shoot me a message!_

_~DELTA_

While walking home from school that day, Jay passed Seto, who, she would've stopped to chat with, but she was in a hurry to get home and try some new meals she found online that morning. So, as she passed him, she gave a quick, "Hey Seto!" And ran off. Behind her, she heard Seto snap. But when she turned around, she was met with a completely different surprise. A dude's fist came hurling at her at incredible speeds and hit her face. She turned around and started to run again, but she ran into another man, and the two started to beat her to the ground. After several minutes of this, Jay eventually lost consciousness.

Seto walked up to the two bodyguards beating the teenage girl into unconsciousness. "That's enough, you fools." He snapped. "Put her in the alley over there." Seto watched as his bodyguards dragged the unconscious teen into the dark alley. "Good. Now let's go." He said. The three then left the scene, ignoring the stares of the people around them.

Atem sat in his living room under the kotatsu. He was drinking hot tea with Yuzuki beside him when he got the urge to call Jay. They had gotten out of school a few hours ago, she should be home by now. He picked up his phone and dialed her number carefully, then put the phone up to his ear. It rang. It rang again. And again. And again. Until he heard the familiar voice of Jay over recording. "You have reached Jay Yukimura. Leave a message please! Arigatou!" Atem didn't bother leaving a message. He just called again. And again. And again. It was Jay herself that told Atem to never leave a message and to just keep calling. Eventually, Atem gave up and put his phone back on the table. He turned on the TV and watched for a while, as Yuzuki made herself comfortable next to him.

Jay's eyes snapped open. The first thing she saw was the moon, which was raised high in the sky. "What time is it...?" She mumbled. She reached for her phone in her pocket, and suddenly felt an excruciating pain in her arm and shoulder. As she took her phone out and to check the time, an alert came up on the cracked screen. **27 Missed Calls.** Jay took a look and noticed they were all from Atem. She read his name once, then twice, and then a third time before calling him back. Her shaking hand brought the phone up to her ear and she listened for Atem's voice. She couldn't quite calculate what was going on just yet. All she knew was that she wanted Atem there with her.

Atem was sleeping when he heard it. The soft sound of Guren no Yumiya playing from his phone. He sat up slowly. "Who the hell is calling me at 3 A.M?!" He muttered angrily. He grabbed his phone and stiffened as he read the name that flashed across the screen.

**Incoming ****call: ****Jay**

Atem quickly answered the phone. "Hello?" He was answered with a soft whine followed by sobbing. "Jay?! Jay!" She sniffed and whined again. "A-Atem...?" She murmured. "Yes, it's me. What's wrong?!Where are you?!" She started to cry harder, choking on her words. "I-I'm at m-my normal r-route h-home from s-school..." She sobbed. "I-In an a-alley near th-the s-sushi restaurant..." She finished in a mumble. "Alright, alright, calm down, I'm on my way." He said soothingly.

Fifteen minutes later, Atem turned the corner into the dark alley. There, he saw Jay's silhouette sitting up against the wall. "Jay...?" He murmured. Jay sniffed in response. Atem tried to help her up. "Can you stand?" He whispered. Jay shook her head. "No, I-I tried...I-I just can't..." Atem kneeled down and rubbed her back. "Don't get yourself worked up. It's going to be alright..." He said as he started to lift her up. He carried her to his car and set her in the front seat. Then, he went around and got in as well. He turned on the map lights and took a good look at her. "You look a mess...what happened?" Jay sniffed. "I passed by Seto this evening, and I heard him snap, and suddenly these two guys started punching me! I don't remember anything else..." She said, seeming to come back to her senses. "Oh..." Atem mumbled. _I bet those men were Kaiba's bodyguards...they just have to be!_ He thought. He shook his head. _He wouldn't do that...would he? _Jay seemed deathly afraid of whoever attacked her. Kaiba's bodyguards seemed to be the only rational suspects. After several moments of trying to get her to go into detail, Atem eventually gave up. He decided to take her to his house instead of hers.

"Wh-Where are we...?" Jay mumbled. "We're at my house. You've never been here before, so I hope it's acceptable." Atem got out of the car and went around to take her out as well. He carried her inside and took her into the bathroom. Once there, he sat her down and looked through the medicine cabinet. "Take your shirt off." He said firmly. "H-Huh?! You want me to do what?!" Jay's face turned red. "You heard me. Take your shirt off." Atem repeated without looking at her. Slowly, she removed the shirt of her uniform, revealing her undershirt. Atem growled in frustration. "Take that off, too." He spoke softly. It was 3 A.M by now, and he didn't want to deal with her ignorance. She removed her undershirt and looked at him, wearing only her bra and her skirt. "Alright..." He took out a few things he needed to clean up her wounds, then sat down behind her. "This might sting a little.." He whispered, unclasping her bra and pouring a little bit of peroxide on her back. Jay gasped through clenched teeth and arched her back in pain. He blew gently on her wounds, holding her bra from the sides to make sure it didn't fall off. "I'm surprised you trust me this much, Jay." He murmured. "J-Just get it over with, y-you Baka!" She stammered. He started putting bandages on her back, holding her bra at the center in attempt to keep it from falling. "A-Atem...!" Jay blushed again. "Shh...Gomen'nasai, little one..." He said, and helped helped her re-clasp her bra. He did the same to her shoulders, arms, ribs, and face. He spoke softly to her to help ease the pain a bit. "I'm keeping you here for the night...I don't think it's a good idea to have you all alone again." Jay looked at him, but said nothing. _No protest? _He thought. _That's strange..._Atem finished putting her bandages on and looked at her. "There we go...you can go ahead and put your shirt back on, if you want." He said. "Actually," Jay said in a voice just barely over a whisper. "Sleeping in a uniform is really uncomfortable, and, since I'm going to stay here for the night..." Jay looked away. "...Could I borrow a shirt or something?" Atem blushed at the question. "Uhm...sure...hang on, let me go get one..." He said as his blush got darker. He walked out if the bathroom and slid the door open, entering his bedroom. Yuzuki followed him close behind, wagging her tail. Atem grabbed a plain white shirt and took it back to the bathroom with him. "Here..." He murmured, tossing the shirt to Jay. "Ar-Arigatou..." She said, blushing a bit. Atem left the bathroom, giving her time to change. He went into the kitchen and looked around. Well, there was Konpeitō, but Jay didn't really need sugar at this hour. He continued looking until he saw some leftover rice from a bento box he'd eaten earlier that week. Knowing she'd like that, Atem made a quick plate of teriyaki chicken and rice for Jay. She came out of the bathroom about a minute later. "Here, you seem hungry." He said. Jay gladly took the plate and started eating and Yuzuki ate up the crumbs she dropped. Atem smiled, knowing it was hopeless to ask her to eat at the table. Yuzuki would clean up, anyways. When she finished, Atem cleaned up a bit and gently caressed her cheek. "It's not the most polite thing to do, but you can sleep on the couch or something if you want." He said softly. Jay nodded and hugged him. "Arigatou." She whispered. "Dōitashimashite." He whispered back.

Jay lay on the couch that night and tried to get some sleep, but she couldn't. It felt like something was missing. She tossed and turned for a good two hours, until her foot hit the table and made a loud noise. She quickly hid her foot under the blanket and rolled over, her back facing the door. After a few minutes, she heard the door slide open, then close. She heard Atem's footsteps behind her, and by instinct, she pretended to be asleep, something she hadn't done since before she started living on her own. "I know you're awake, little one." She heard Atem's soft whisper in her ear. She let out a soft giggle and blushed and she turned to look at him. "You cold?" He asked. Something clicked in Jay's mind. Maybe that's what was missing! But, no, she just knew that wasn't it. "I'm a bit cold, yeah..." She whispered, then coughed. Atem smiled and suddenly lifted her up in his arms. "Alright then." He said. And with that, Atem carried the small teen into his room.

Atem stepped quietly on the tatami mats, carrying Jay in his arms. He laid her down on his bed, then got in bed as well, and pulled the blanket over the two of them. Jay snuggled closer to him, seeking warmth. Atem smiled, wrapping his arms around the small girl. This is what was missing! It wasn't warmth in general, it was the warmth of another person. She didn't realize how much she missed that feeling until now. This feeling...she last felt it when her parents were with her. She nuzzled Atem's neck, about ready to cry. His kindness had made her eager for affection. "Guddonaito, little one." He whispered softly as Jay fell asleep.

_**Japanese Translations**_

_**Arigatou: **_Thank you

_**Dōitashimashite: **_You're welcome

_**Guddonaito: **_Good night


	4. Chapter 4- Nothing's Going to Change

Jay woke up in a...strange position. Her legs were wrapped around Atem's waist and her head was rested somewhere between his lower neck and chest. Mentally, she was freaking out. He was still breathing slowly, so Jay figured he was asleep, but when she went to move her leg, Atem grabbed it and wrapped his free arm around her waist. "Ohayou, little one." He whispered. "D-Did you do this?!" Atem chuckled at the tone of panic in Jay's voice. "No, no. I didn't touch you all night." He said. That wasn't exactly true, he'd wrapped his arms around her, but that was it. "I woke up at around six with you like this, and, you looked pretty comfortable, so I didn't move you." He gave a slight smile. "Atem get off of me!" She cried. "Who's on who again?" Atem smirked. Jay laid there, blushing and speechless. "I know you're saving yourself for Kaiba," he whispered, "but can you at least let me hold you for a little bit longer?" Jay saw the look in his eyes and found it hard to say no. She bit her lip. "Why should I let you hold me?" She frowned. "Pleeeeease? I've always wanted to hold you like this..." He murmured into her hair. "Let-fine. You have thirty seconds." She frowned. "Thirty seconds? Wow, that's heartless." He teased. He saw an opportunity here. "25...24...23...22..." Jay muttered. Atem looked at her for a few moments, strait into her eyes. This made her go silent. Then, without warning, he pulled her into a gentle, passionate kiss. She gasped, giving him the room he needed to push his tongue in and explore the inside of her mouth. After several seconds of this, Jay came to her sense and bit down on his tongue. He pulled away, leaving a small trail of saliva that linked the two. Atem happily licked it up. "You...You baka!" She cried. "You took my first kiss!" Atem chuckled. "Yep. And I'm about to take your second." He grinned, and pressed his lips against hers again. She pushed him away. "What is wrong with you?!" She shouted, noticing him laughing. "Hm...and your third." He smirked, having fun with this. She turned her head away from him. "We're _friends,_ we're not in any kind of relationship!" She cried, her hands on his shoulders. "Oh, shut up." He said, tilting her chin to face him. His lips lowered onto hers, and Jay suddenly felt a bit of pleasure flowing through her body. He licked her top lip, asking for entrance this time. There was a certain amount of excitement in Jay's mind, and in response to that excitement, she opened her mouth for him. However, she would not kiss him back. "_That's a good girl..." _Atem thought as he pushed his tongue into her mouth. His tongue explored for a while, coaxing her to kiss back. He played with her tongue for the longest time, until finally, her arms wrapped around his neck and closed the space between their open mouths, allowing them to play freely with each other's tongues.

When they finally pulled away from each other, Jay went to protest again. "Atem! That's enough! Let me go!" She was about to say more, but was silenced by Atem's lips. He pulled away and looked at her, speaking softly with his finger on her lips. "Don't try to lie to me, little one. You enjoyed it that time, you know you did," Jay blushed, but said nothing. Atem smirked, knowing he'd won. "Oh, by the way, I'm keeping you home from school today. Earlier this morning you had a fever." He said. "It's gone down quite a bit, but I don't want to take any chances." Jay looked at him for a moment. "What?! You can't do that! That's my only chance to see Seto!" She cried. Atem frowned. "Are you still hanging on to that pretty boy?" He asked. "Yes! And no matter how much you kiss me, nothing will change!" Atem sighed, then stood up and left the room, leaving Jay behind.

Atem took Jay home that afternoon, and didn't see her for the next few days. After what she'd said, he didn't want to see her either. "And no matter how many times you kiss me, nothing will change!" The words echoed in his head over and over again. He started cutting school, and eventually it lead to much worse things. It was like everything Jay had ever said about Seto, everything she'd ever done, all of it, came back at him with such pressure that he couldn't take it anymore. He started cutting. Every single time that she left him, every single time that she yelled at him for doing something so simple, it all hit him at once. It was clear that she hated him. And it was such a stupid reason to cut himself, but he did it over, and over, and over, and over. He felt like the exact same couple of days kept repeating, even when there were changes all around. Even when he did go to school, he was ignored, and teased for his sensitivity. Jay said things about him all the time. He'd overheard her multiple times when she was with Kaiba. "Oh, Atem? He's okay, I guess. He's annoying and quiet, and he's scared of everything, though." It sickened him. The sight of blood sickened him. But eventually, he got used to it. All of it. He got used to being ignored, he got used to the blood, he got used to the pain, and he figured out how to fake smile. Even Yuzuki tried to lighten his mood, but couldn't. It was weeks after Jay had completely threw him away, and things were getting worse by the moment.

"Yeah, sure, Seto and I will come pick you up!" Kisara's cheerful voice rang through the phone. "Okay! See you in fifteen minutes!" Jay responded, barely containing her excitement as she hung up the phone. "Me. In a limo. With Seto Kaiba!" She squealed, rolling around on her bed. She ran into the bathroom and grabbed the hair chalk. She quickly used it to dye most of her hair blonde, put in the green colored contacts to her eyes, curled her hair, then slipped her shoes on and waited outside. She saw the limo pull up and immediately ran up to it, climbing into the back seat. The first thing she saw broke her heart. It was Seto Kaiba, with his arm around Kisara. The minute she sat down, the two kissed passionately. She sat down and looked at her feet to keep from staring. Her attention then turned to the window, at the moon shining brightly in the sky. "So, you two are a couple?" She asked without looking at the two. "Yeah!" Kisara said cheerfully. "Since when?" Jay mumbled. "We've been together for about a month." She smiled, Jay said nothing else, feeling her heart slowly shatter. Jay noticed that the car was going awfully fast. "Are we speeding?" She asked. "No, this is the speed limit. Seto said with a smirk. It wasn't visible in the dark, though. "I'm glad I wasn't the only one." Kisara whispered to her. Jay nodded as she looked at the other girl. Kisara looked forward and suddenly screamed. "S-Seto we're-" and then everything went black.

Jay woke up and groaned. She felt...somewhat crowded, "Seto...?" She murmured, looking around. Seto was nowhere to be found. She felt pain all over her body. She looked forward, the car was crushed. Beside her, Kisara's limp body leaned against her. "Kisara?" Jay murmured. "Kisara..." She shook the young girl a bit, then gasped. Her body was cold. Jay had come to the horrifying conclusion that Kisara...was dead.


	5. Chapter 5- Emotions

Jay shivered in the December air. She had gotten out of the limo by now, and she was covered in cuts and bruises. She looked around, trying to figure out where she was. That's when she saw it. The tall tree that her and Atem sat in when they were younger. She automatically knew where she was. She ran into the subdivision and up to the third house on the left side. She didn't care about ringing the doorbell. She ran through the gate and up to the front door. She raised her hand to knock, then stopped. She thought about how she's treated him the last time. How she completely threw him away and ditched him. She shrugged it off. He couldn't still be upset about that. She raised her hand again, and knocked.

"Whatever it is, you can forget it." Atem's voice came out muffled through the inside of the house. She knocked again. "Jay, I'm serious. Just go." Jay sniffed and knocked a third time. This time, the door swung open and Atem stared at her, anger blazing in his eyes. She gasped at his appearance. His hair was messier than normal, his eyes were red, implying that he'd been crying recently, and there were cuts, no, deep gashes on his face, neck, and all over his body. The stains on his jacket and pants proved her correct. She stared at the dark bags under his eyes. "I see. So you ignored me." Atem muttered angrily. Jay continued to look at him. "May I come in?" She asked. "No." Atem responded coldly. "B-But you said-" Jay started, but she was cut off by a tone she'd never heard Atem use before. "I know what I said! And you can just forget it! Just forget I said anything! It's clear that you don't care, so why should I?!" He stepped outside and grabbed a strand of her hair. "Look at this. This sickens me." He pulled it in front of her so she could see, then gave it a sharp yank, causing her to yelp in pain. "Let go of me!" Jay cried, trying to escape his grasp. "Fine!" Atem shoved her away. "Why are you being so violent?! Why don't you like me anymore?!" Jay cried. "Because I'm tired of being rejected by you! I'm tired of not being of any importance to you! Just admit it! I'm not your friend, in fact I only exist when you need something! I can't believe I was so blind that I couldn't see that before!" He shouted. Atem then stormed inside and slammed the door behind him, leaving Jay alone in the cold.

Jay sat there for the longest time, questioning what just happened. Eventually, she returned to her senses and looked around. She thought about what Atem had just said, then sank to her knees, covered her face, and wept.

Atem sat in the bathroom, feeling sick to his stomach. He realized that he hadn't heard the whine of the front gate, so he left the bathroom and headed towards the front door, holding his stomach. He was about to open the door when he heard it. The sound was unmistakable. It was the sound of Jay's soft wailing. The sound immediately triggered something in his mind and his reflexes acted for him. He flung open the door once again and knelt down by her side, but he stopped himself before he wrapped his arms around her. "What are you still doing here?! Go home!" He scolded. Jay opened her mouth to speak, but only her gentle sobbing came out as a response. She threw her arms around him and cried into his shoulder. "Don't touch me." He said as he winced and shoved her away. She went in again, and got the same reaction. "I said don't touch me!" He watched as Jay just started crying harder, and wondered if he was being to harsh. He sighed and looked at her, thinking about how badly he wanted to wrap his arms around her and comfort her. He'd be willing to give anything just to feel her by his side again, to feel her soft lips against his, to hold her in his arms again. He'd do anything just to claim her as his own. Atem snapped out of his fantasies and grabbed her wrist. He pulled her up forcefully and dragged her inside. He shoved her down on the stairs, ripped her shoes off, and pushed her into the bathroom on the main floor. "Wash that shit out of your hair." He growled, slamming the door. He returned to his bedroom and laid with Yuzuki, whimpering a bit in pain. He heard the water running for a while, then it stopped and he heard Jay's voice after a few minutes of silence. "Atem, come here please!" Her call out to him broke the quiet and snapped Atem out of his dazed state. "Only if it means seeing you naked..." He muttered as her stood up. "Oh, Yuzuki, I'm such a pervert. Don't tell her I said that..." He looked at Yuzuki, who sneezed in response. "Good." He murmured, stepping out of the bedroom and into the main area of the house. Yuzuki's little claws clicked on the wood floor behind him. He slid open the bathroom door and looked in. Jay suddenly pulled him in and shut the door behind him.

"Whoa! What the-" Atem didn't have time to finish before Jay shoved him on the floor and pulled his shirt off, revealing the cuts and gashes on his upper body. She pulled down his jeans next, looking at the wounds on his legs. She grabbed the cotton ball next to her and started rubbing it across the cuts on his legs. Atem hissed in pain and bit his lip. He watched as his wounds were cleaned out with peroxide and obscured with bandages. Jay threw the cotton ball away and got a new one. "Please don't-" Atem started, but stopped when he saw her cover the cotton ball in peroxide. She rubbed it across his stomach and chest, forcing a whimper of protest. This continued for a while, until finally all his cuts were cleaned and covered. Atem groaned in pain, only to be silenced by Jay. "Shh...it's over now..it's okay..." She soothed. Her warm lips brushed up against his. "Are you alright?" She whispered. In response, Atem pulled her down, bringing her into a passionate kiss. Jay pulled away. "Oh now you just want to kiss, eh?" She giggled. Atem pulled her into another warm kiss. "Mhmmm..." He murmured. The two kissed deeply and passionately until they had to break for air. "Please...m-more..." Atem breathed. Jay grabbed him and pressed her lips against his. It wasn't long before their tongues met once again, making both moan softly. Jay broke the kiss, and they stared deep into each other's eyes. "Alright..." Atem breathed, "You win...what happened...?"

The two sat in the bedroom, Atem was now wearing a long sleeve shirt and flannel pants, while Jay borrowed his hoodie for the night. They held each other as Jay cried and told Atem everything. When she was done, Atem simply stroked her hair. "You poor thing...everything will be alright...I'm here now..." He soothed. "I'm not saving myself for Seto anymore." She whispered. Atem felt his heart skip a beat. "Really?" Jay looked at him. "Yeah. I'm saving myself for someone else, now." Any confidence Atem had just vanished. "Oh yeah? Who's that? Who do I have to watch you suffer with now?" Atem looked at her sadly. "I'll tell you all about him!" Jay cried, playing with his hair. "He's really sweet, and kind, and a little sensitive..." Atem started to tune her out. He couldn't bare this for much longer. "Is it Yuugi? Please tell me it's not-" He realized Jay had gone silent when he started speaking, then she started laughing. "Yuugi? Yuugi?! Of course it's not Yuugi!" She giggled and straddled the older boy, then she leaned down and gave him a kiss. "It's you, silly." She whispered. Atem was stunned speechless at the words. Should he say something? Kiss her? Hug her maybe? There was so much adrenaline running through him, but he couldn't do anything. He wanted some way to express is pure joy, but he couldn't find the right gesture. He heard Jay giggle once more as she rested her head on his chest. "Can I sleep with you tonight?" She whispered. Atem rolled over to his side and pulled the blanket over the both of them. "Of course..." He murmured, pulling her body closer to his own. He kissed her forehead, then her lips, then let her get into a more comfortable position. Jay finally relaxed in what she thought felt was the warmest and most comforting position. That night, everything was perfect. Atem was holding the girl of his dreams, and Jay didn't care. And Jay knew that this time, she'd made the right choice. She could feel Atem's breathing, and hear his heartbeat. "Aishiteru..." She whispered. "Aishiteru..." He whispered back. Jay soon fell asleep, her legs wrapped around his waist, and her head nuzzled somewhere between his lower neck and chest.

_I know I know, that end chapter was kind of lame, but if you want me to do an epilogue, I will. Sorry this chapter is so late. I am currently working on a Harvest Moon Fanficketyfoo that's NeilxReader, so look forward to that. I will also be doing two AtemxReaders. One of them will be PharaohxSlave, and he other will be MasterxMaid. You also have those to look forward to. Toodles!_

_~DELTA_


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